The U.S. Soccer Technical Staff has named 78 Development U.S. Soccer Technical Staff Names 78 Players for Select Teams at 2011 Development Academy Winter Showcase

The U.S. Soccer Technical Staff has named 78 Development Academy players that will be divided into four Select Teams and compete in two games during the 2011 Winter Showcase. The games will be held on Dec. 3 at the Premier Sports Complex in Sarasota, Fla.

Divided by age group, the players born in 1995 will be split into two teams and face off at 5 p.m. ET, while the two teams made up of players born in 1996 will compete at 7 p.m. ET.

The scouting network, Technical Advisors and Youth National Team coaches selected the players based on their performances at Academy games, Training Centers and Youth National Team camps. The matches provide the players with the opportunity to play alongside some of the top players in their age groups.

“This is a great opportunity for these players to perform at a higher level,” said Director of Scouting Tony Lepore. “They get to play with and against some of the best players in their age group in front of a large crowd, and it’s also a chance for them to be seen by scouts and National Team coaches. These Select games raise the level of play for the Academy players.”

The 2011 Winter Showcase will feature games from all 78 Development Academy clubs and will be in conjunction with the ninth annual Nike International Friendlies, with each of the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team matches against Brazil, France and Turkey being televised on Fox Soccer.

The Development Academy first implemented Select Teams at the 2009 Spring Showcase in Sarasota, Fla., where two 18-player teams competed against the Under-17 Men’s National Team.

At the 2010 Winter Showcase in Phoenix, Ariz., the four Select teams were comprised of players born in 1992-93 and 1994-95. More than 300 college and national team scouts were in attendance. In the past, professional scouts from Major League Soccer and foreign clubs have also been in attendance.

Since its launch in the fall of 2007, the Academy has provided an increased focus on training and player development by providing a clear connection between the U.S. national teams and more than 4,000 young players across the country. Top youth coaches and players have direct access to U.S. Soccer staff on a regular basis through the structured programming overseen by U.S. Soccer Youth Technical Director Claudio Reyna.

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FOX Soccer to Broadcast Nike International Friendlies During 2011 Development Academy Winter Showcase

FOX Soccer will broadcast all three U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team matches during the 2011 Nike International Friendlies in conjunction with the Development Academy Winter Showcase in December. The U.S. will take on Brazil, France and Turkey during the competition, which will be held at the Premier Sports Campus in Sarasota, Fla.